1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods for making copolymer filaments for use in producing surgical articles such as sutures. More particularly, this disclosure relates to filaments made from copolymers of glycolide and trimethylene carbonate that are useful in producing surgical sutures.
2. Background of Related Art
Methods for making monofilaments that are suitable surgical sutures generally include the steps of extruding a least one bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable polymer to provide filaments, drawing, or stretching the solidified filaments to achieve molecular orientation and annealing the drawn filaments to relieve internal stresses. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,092,891, 3,106,442, 3,630,205, 4,911,165, 5,217,485 and U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,588,081 and European Patent Application No. 415,783.
It would be desirable to provide a bioabsorbable suture which exhibits good flexibility and handling characteristics while maintaining other desired characteristics, such as knot strength, knot retention and desired absorption characteristics.